Project CommUNITY: Father's Love builds a safe haven for Shelbyville students after school
A nonprofit organization in Shelbyville, Kentucky, is helping students after the school day ends, providing tutoring, meals, and even a ride.
"It's family. It's a safe place. All these kiddos that grow up here are like family. So we get to build a great relationship with them and families, and that's, I think, what makes us a little bit different than a traditional after-school program," said program director Michelle Terrell, Father's Love.
Building those relationships is at the heart of the work for Terrell and her husband, executive director Gerald Terrell.
Together with their children and an army of volunteers, the couple works to make sure every child who walks through the doors of Father's Love feels seen, supported, and cared for.
"Many of the kids that come through our doors are from single-family homes or raised by grandparents. So we get to come alongside of them and help support the kids that come through these doors. Many of them face hard challenges or hard things in life, and we get to be that safe place that they can come to," said Gerald Terrell.
What began as a simple outreach in 1997 has grown into a program serving 60 to 100 kids in Shelby County throughout the school year and even more during the summer, and it's all free thanks to community partners and donations.
"They come in right after school, and they grab a snack, and we do Bible time. We do reading and homework help. We have free time. Academics has been something we didn't start out having an academic program, but we saw the need to support them in that way," said Michelle Terrell.
"I love hanging out with my friends," said LeAeighla Pipes, a fifth grader.
Eleven-year-old LeAeighla Pipes looks forward to spending time with her favorite people in her favorite place every day after school.
"This is like one of my favorite places to be because they teach me really good math, and I can understand the math really good, and also we get to play games a lot and stuff, and I love being here," Pipes said.
Fifth grader Rose Daniels has been coming to Father's Love since kindergarten.
"I hate going home after school. Because it's so boring. And, all I do is play outside, and I just, to come back. I just, I like to come here," Rose said.
At the end of the day, the Terrells say Father's Love is about creating a better community for everyone.
"My hope for Father's Love that we will just really impact our students and families to change the trajectory of some of the things that they encounter, the challenges, the struggles, and to just rise above the obstacles that they might face," Michelle said.
Beyond the after-school program, the nonprofit also helps fight hunger in the community by sending food home with hundreds of students through a backpack program.
The organization also offers spring break activities and summer camps.
Father's Love is also expanding its location at 624 Henry Clay St., Shelbyville, KY, 40065 and raising funds for a new building.
To connect with Father's Love, call 502-509-9880 or email: info@fathersloveshelbyville.org.
